How to Install Nucore Flooring

How to install scratch resistant Nucore luxury vinyl plank flooring in any room with tips on how to easily cut vinyl plank flooring to fit perfectly around doorways.

When it comes to home decorating or doing a room makeover, I, like many of you… want to jump right in and get things done pronto!  For my studioffice, I did just that by laying a new floor the day after we moved into our house.

This floor was the very first DIY home décor improvement project we made to the lake house.  We loved it so much, even more than hardwood, that we also used it in two bathrooms, a hallway and laundry room.

Update: Find out how well the floors have held up after 6 years in this post:

We also have installed different luxury vinyl plank flooring brands in the game room and wood laminate flooring in my bedroom.  We have become pretty good at installing luxury vinyl planks and wood laminate flooring.

All of these vinyl flooring options are what is called a “floating floor” where no adhesive is needed. It is also the easiest to install from a DIY perspective.

Before and after luxury vinyl plank flooring makeover for a home officeHow to Install Luxury Vinyl Plank Flooring in a Room

I can live with old and outdated fixtures in the house as long as they are functional, but I have a hard time living with wall colors I don’t like and old wall-to-wall carpeting that is stained.

The best time to change both are when there is no furniture in the room which was the case when we first moved into the house.

Home office decorating ideas

We painted the walls first using the wall-to-wall carpet as a drop cloth. Once the walls were done, we removed the carpet to install the new flooring.

When it came time to set up my studioffice in the lake house, I knew I needed flooring that would be easy to clean and maintain. 

Tutorial on how to install a NuCore vinyl plank floor
Nucore Vinyl Plank Flooring – 6.5mm

I bought the Nucore vinyl flooring at Floor & Decor where they sell tile, stone, wood, and laminate all at discount prices. I came across this NuCore waterproof luxury vinyl plank flooring that has a cork underlayment backing.

What I really liked about it though was how much it looks like real wood, it even has texture and best of all scratch proof.

What is Luxury Vinyl Plank Flooring?

If you are not familiar with this type of flooring, luxury vinyl plank flooring is made to look like wood and that goes together in a snap… literally… each plank snaps into the next. This type flooring is also known as a floating floor that can go right over the subfloor or existing flooring like tile and linoleum.

What Makes Nucore LVP Different from Other Brands?

As mentioned above, NuCore is a brand of luxury vinyl plank, known as rigid core. It is constructed in several layers (a bit like laminate flooring) with a resistant wear layer on top, followed by a decorative design layer (a wood or stone image), then a vinyl layer adhered to a waterproof rigid core made of plastic composite, and finally a cork backing that serves as underlayment.

All of the layers that are used to construct NuCore are 100% waterproof, and NuCore say that the top wear layer is not only scratch and satin resistant, but anti-microbial too.

NuCore waterproof flooring is available in a range of sizes, with wood look planks in 47.95” lengths and widths 3” to 8”, and stone looks in 12” x 24” tiles. Plank thickness is either 5

The cork backing makes the ease of installation even easier since you do not have to put a liner down on the floor first.

NuCore Waterproof Flooring comes in many colors. I chose Gunstock Oak (it has a wood texture on the surface) since I like medium dark floors with white walls for my home’s interior.

I also like that it has a casual look and texture that looks like real wood.  It is hypoallergenic, waterproof, and the cork backing is sound resistant. The best part though.. it is a DIY’ers dream since installing it is very easy and comes with warranties.

Before and after flooring makeover

Before we put all the furniture in the room we ripped up the carpet the second night after we moved in.

FLOORING INSTALLATION TIP: Putting in the floor was easy once we knew what we were doing.

  • Practice on a few planks first to get the idea on how the planks snap together and also how to cut them.

What You Should Know Before You Start to Install Luxury Vinyl Plank Flooring

This brand, NuCore Waterproof Flooring does not have to acclimate to the room temperature.  Once you bring the boxes into your house, you can start installing it right away.  I have listed below what we needed to do before installing the floor.

Measure the square footage of the room and double check your measurements.

How do you know how many square feet to buy?


If you don’t trust your calculations, head to the Floor & Decor website and choose the flooring you like. You will see a dropdown link that says – Calculate My Square Footage that will do it for you.

Installing a floating vinyl laminate floor

Like most projects… it is all about the “prep work”. Once you have these addressed, you can install the floor in a day…it is that easy.

  • When installing a floating floor, there needs to be about a 1/2″ – 1″ of space left all around the room between the flooring and the wall so that the flooring can expand.

How to Figure Out the Plank Width Cut Lengths for the First and Last Row of Flooring:

Laying a vinyl floor
  • You also have to be sure that if you start with a full width in the first row that you don’t end up having to cut the last row of planks too thinly or they won’t lay correctly.
  • The first row of planks may each need to be cut along the entire plank width before installing. Ed did these calculations so the last row would still be wide enough to snap in while leaving an inch for expansion.

How to Actually Cut the Luxury Vinyl Planks that Needed Resizing?

The other part about laying the luxury vinyl plank flooring that we had to think about before starting was how to cut the vinyl planks. The directions on the box stated to cut the vinyl planks with a utility knife.

Ed tried this and it was just about impossible, even with brand new sharp blades. He ended up using a circular saw to cut the planks.

How to Cut and Fit the Vinyl Planks Around Doorways Where There Were Not Straight Edges?

supplies needed to install a vinyl plank floor

This was tricky around the doors, but a Dremel rotary tool with a cutting blade on it helped to fit the planks around doorways.  We used quarter-round molding to hide the inch gap that was left between the flooring and the walls.

Note: I wish we knew about this handy gauge when we installed the flooring. It would have made detailed cuts around door, much easier.

What Direction Do You Lay Luxury Vinyl Planks?

NuCore vinyl plank floor tutorial
  • We read the directions on the box and learned that to lessen the visibility of the snap together long joints between the planks, we needed to lay them so that the snap together joints were laying in the same direction as the sun or light source that comes into the room. The short end sides will run parallel with the light source which in my case is the sliding glass doors.
supplies needed to install a floating floor

How to Install Luxury Vinyl Plank Flooring

supplies needed:

  1. Clean the floor well to make sure all dust, dirt, and previous fasteners (such as nails and carpet tack strips) are gone before installing the floor.
How to install a vinyl floor

2.  Lay down the first few rows and make sure they are straight. Double check and straighten if needed. Once you know the planks are running straight, proceed with laying and snapping the planks together. This will go very quickly since there is no glue or nails needed. If needed, you can tap the side of planks with a rubber mallet get them in place.

Note: When cutting the planks, vary where you put the cut piece from the last row into the next row so the plank lengths are random all over the floor. You don’t want to see repeating seams/joints in the same places.

Installing quarter round to finish laying new flooring

3. Use primed quarter-round or base shoe molding to finish the edges of the flooring where it meets the wall all around the room. If the gap between the wall and last plank is larger than a piece of base shoe molding will cover, use quarter-round molding as it will cover a wider gap. 

adding quarter round to a floating floor

Attach quarter-round or base shoe molding with finishing nails.

How to finish a floating floor

For the doorway where the flooring transitions to another type of flooring, I cut a wood doorway transition strip to the width of the opening. I will stain this to match the floor.

These strips are made to transition from wood to vinyl or carpet. They are sold at the home improvement store or where you buy flooring.

Now that the flooring is installed, my next project is to prime and paint all the existing brown trim in the room white.

About how long does it take to install the flooring?


Installing the floor will depend on the size of the room. Ripping up carpet and prepping the room can take longer than laying the floor down. Laying the planks goes quickly as they snap into place. What takes more time is when you need to stop to cut a board. For an average size bedroom it will take about 12 – 16 hours.

Can NuCore go on stairs?


We did not use it on a staircase, but there are workarounds using trim molding and coordinating stair noses that are sold at Floor & Decor.

How to Clean a NuCore Luxury Vinyl Plank Floor?

  • To clean a NuCore Luxury Vinyl Plank floor I have used both a Bona Mop with their original cleaning solution and a Swiffer Wet Jet Mop with the Open Window Fresh Scent cleaning solution.
  • Since I own the two brands of cleaners and mops, I use both, but one is not better than the other. Either will do the job. They both spray just enough cleaning solution and the pads on the mops wipe up any excess, so there is no standing water ever on the floor.

Want to see the completed AFTER of this room?  You can see it in this post: Studioffice Makeover – AFTER Room Tour

craft room storage ideas

We loved everything about this NuCore luxury vinyl plank flooring that we also used it in two bathrooms, a hallway and laundry room.

You can see the BEFORE and AFTER photos in each of these posts:

Before you install a vinyl plank floor in your home make sure you do these 4 things first. Once you do, the time to install the floor can be done in an afternoon.

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97 Comments

  1. Carolyn Daffron says:

    We put this flooring in 4 rooms in our house. We had it installed by a professional installer. We have close to 20 boards that the tongue and groove has broken off and o e board where the board itself has broken. We are very disappointed and will be contacting the company.

    1. Diane Henkler says:

      Hi Carolyn – I am so sorry to read about your experience with NuCore. When we installed ours, we followed the installation directions to the letter and as you read, haven’t had any issues. We installed ours back in 2105/2016. If yours is newer, maybe Nucore changed the way the boards are made, or the style of mine is made differently than the style/color of the floor you used. I hope NuCore can help you get it right.

  2. Hello! I love the floor! Do you have the exact name of the vinyl plank floor or sku#? I see several vinyl flooring under gunstock oak with different shades. Thank you!

    1. Diane Henkler says:

      Hi Lourdes – Here is the info about the flooring I used. NuCoreGunstock Rigid Core Luxury Vinyl Plank – Cork Back
      Size: 6.5mm | SKU: 100109859

      Here is the link: https://bit.ly/3dgtkxT

  3. Love how your flooring turned out! Having had the NuCore now for 4 years are there any issues that have come up? Do you have any additional comments you can make about it after 4 years of wear?

    1. Diane Henkler says:

      Hi Cindy – I get this question a lot. The NuCore flooring is in perfect condition. I LOVE the floor – it is pretty much indestructible . :-) In my studioffice where it gets full afternoon sun, it hasn’t even faded. The hardwood fades fast in the sun.

      Nucore was my first time using Luxury Vinyl Plank. I have also used Tarkett LVP in the game room in my house and love this also. They both look like real wood and are super easy to care for. If I need a new floor, I would use one of these again over hardwood.

  4. I notice in your post that it doesn’t look like you used an underlay of any kind, but on Floor and Decor’s website for this product (as well as speaking to associates in person) they recommend using an underlay to dampen the sound…. do you notice any downsides to yours not having that under it (loud or hollow sounding at all)?

    1. Diane Henkler says:

      Hi Lauren – It is interesting that you asked this question. We got the Nucore flooring 4+ years ago. At the time, one of the selling features was that it did not need an underlayment because of the cork backing. My post that you read was sponsored by Floor and Decor and it was approved and the directions on the box also stated that no underlayment was needed.

      I think over the years, maybe the product has changed from how the planks I used were made or the company decided for what ever reason to add the underlayment for some installations.

      I have the NuCore flooring in 4 rooms and it does not sound hollow at all, not one bit. I have another brand of LVP in my home and it has a slight hollow sound. The backing on it is foam, not cork like the NuCore.

      I hope this helps you, let me know if you have any other questions.

  5. Can you lay this over travertine tile?

    1. Diane Henkler says:

      Hi Amy – Yes. The flooring can be laid over any flat surface. We used in in a bathroom, right over tile. You can see it in this post: http://bit.ly/31XeIvA

      If there is any moisture issues on your floor, you can put down sheet plastic first and then lat the NuCore or any luxury vinyl. The sheeting is sold where the flooring is sold. We needed to do this when we out laminate down in our bedroom. You can see how we did that in this post: http://bit.ly/2Wl4Mel

  6. Can you lay this over travertine tile?

  7. What is the material of any rug pads you are using? Have they caused any problems with the NuCore?

    1. Diane Henkler says:

      Hi Tesa – The area rug I have over the NuCore floor in my studioffice is a FLOR rug where the underside has a no-slip material on it where no rug pad is needed. It hasn’t caused any problems with the NuCore flooring. In my baths, I only use bath style throw rugs with no backing or rug pad. Do you have NuCore flooring that has become damaged from a rug pad or are you thinking of getting it?

  8. I know this is an old post. I just bought this same flooring. What do you use to clean it?

    1. Diane Henkler says:

      Hi Pam – It is an older post, but one of my top read posts. I get questions all the time. I will add yours to the post. :-) To clean the floor I have used both a Bona Mop and their original cleaning solution and a Swiffer Wet Jet Mop with the Open Window Fresh Scent cleaning solution. Since I have the two mops, I use both, but one is not better than the other. Either will do the job

  9. Jill Sperling says:

    I am wondering if you know if NuCore has a weight limitation? I have very heavy antique furniture. I know I will put protectors under the legs but I am still worried about permanent dents.

    Thanks

    1. Diane Henkler says:

      Hi Jill – The flooring is very durable and holds quite a lot of weight without it making dents in the flooring. I have a very large and heavy armoire in my studioffice that I have moved a few times. There are no dents or impressions under it. I really love the flooring and have placed it in two bathrooms, a hallway and my laundry area.

  10. Looks great! Just curious….why not paint the trim and walls prior to laying down the new floors? That way if you spill anything…no worries it’s all coming out any how! :)

    1. Diane Henkler says:

      Hi Amanda – I would have painted first, but we literally just were still moving into the house when I wrote the post. We had brought the flooring with us from our previous home knowing we were going to use it. I would have painted the walls and trim first, but I had was sick with Shingles at the time and was in misery. My husband is good with flooring and it made more sense to just get the floor down before bringing in all the furniture from the moving truck. I did paint the room about a year later. You can see that post here: https://inmyownstyle.com/craft-room-tour-aka-my-studioffice.html

  11. If a heavy hutch or cabinet sit on it for a month and decide to move it, will it have a mark or dent in it?
    The old vinyl floors in the 1980 use to have dents and tare in the floor especially from wash machine and dryers.
    I have done laminate before and it was fine till we had a water leak. I replaced it with tile and that was hard on my knees.
    Thanks for your time. It is appreciated

  12. So glad I read your post. We are just about to begin a large renovation project and have been searching for flooring options in the kitchen and bathrooms. Sounds like this may work. I’ll be heading out to a local supplier to view sample selections. Thanks for documenting your efforts.

  13. We are about to put Nucore into our kitchen, dining and Living room. So glad to read this , it solidifys our decision.
    thanks for your input and pictures.

  14. Colleen Worden says:

    Hi Diane I love this flooring and can’t wait to go look at the colors weave carpet in our room the on,y problem is there is concrete underneath and is not level so I don’t think this would work any suggestions?

    1. Diane Henkler says:

      Hi Colleen – If your floor is not level you would not be able to use the flooring. Carpet is best at hiding that. The only way to fix it would be to have a new subfloor put into the room that would be level, then add the vinyl plank flooring.

    2. Kathi brill says:

      There is a product you mix and pour it finds it own level. Let it dry and then check level.

      1. Shirley L says:

        We used the product to level our floor and greatly satisfied.

  15. Dennie Garwitz says:

    I’m so glad I read your NUCORE flooring post. Six months ago I started my research on what I wanted to put down on my floors. Floor and Decor was the first place I went to. The person who assisted me there explained the Nucore flooring to me and I picked out Driftwood Oak and he gave me a sample of one whole plank. I loved it, but decided to keep on searching to make sure that was what I really wanted. Ive been everywhere flooring is sold and the Nucore is still my choice. I have been hesitant to purchase it and get started because….well, everywhere else I went they kept on telling me no…no…no… don’t go that route.
    After reading your experience and how pleased you are has made my decision. I’m going to go with it too. Thanks for your WELL DOCUMENTED posting, with pictures and everything else you put on there.

  16. Hi, How is your floor doing? I’m interested in doing this 1400sq ft. but nervous.

    1. Diane Henkler says:

      Hi Michelle – We love the NuCore flooring and could not be happier with it. It is easy to clean and does not scratch or show any marks. We have used it in a bathroom, powder room, laundry area and hallway since first putting it in my studioffice. It is quiet and makes no sound when we walk over it. Plus for the bathroom we like the waterproof quality of it. If you look at this post you will be able to see a good shot of it in the hallway: https://inmyownstyle.com/2017/05/retractable-screen-door-that-is-easy-to-install.html

    2. Greg Mawson says:

      This stuff scratches very easily! I just installed 900sq ft two weeks ago and I’m going to rip it out! We only have three people in our house; fairly low traffic. This stuff has scratches everywhere! It’s terrible

      1. Diane Henkler says:

        Hi Greg –

        Sorry to hear about your flooring scratching easy. It must be a different type and/or style then mine. I have the vinyl plank that has a slightly raised wood grain and cork backing. If this is what you have, then they are making it different. Mine has not one scratch in any of the rooms we have used it in. My studioffice, laundry area, hallway, a powder room and bathroom.

        1. I just purchased the NuCore Luxury Vinyl planks two months ago and mine are scratching! We went with the exact same kind you have pictured but a little darker than yours. Such a disappointment! We haven’t done anything out of the ordinary to make them scratch. Buyer beware!!! Go with something different!

          1. Diane Henkler says:

            Hi Christy – I am so sorry that your floors are scratching. :-( You are the second reader who has told me this. I bought the Nu Core plank flooring 2-1/2 years ago. Nu Core must have changed how they make the planks. My floors look like I just installed them. We did my studioffice almost 2 years ago now. I spend a lot of time in the room making creative messes and vacuum the floor constantly. They have not scratched at all. Over the last two years we have added it to 2 baths, the laundry room and hallway. All the planks we used are from the original boxes. We still have some left, but not enough to do another room. I don’t live near a Floor & Decor anymore, but I would love to hold one of the planks in my boxes to newly made planks to see if the quality is the same. Have you contacted Floor & Decor about the problem?

          2. Debbi Rowe says:

            I would contact Floor and Decor, I put mine in about 3 months ago and I’ve moved my solid oak dressers on it and not 1 scratch, grandkids ride their little toys on it to, best thing I ever put down, and I have it everywhere but 2 bedrooms. Even spilled stain on it and it wiped right up.

        2. Do you have rollers on your desk chair.? Do they scratch?

          1. Diane Henkler says:

            Hi Mary –

            My chair has wheels, but I have an area rug in the center of the room under my desk and chair. You can see it in this post:

            https://inmyownstyle.com/flor-rug-installation-and-review.html

            I have a few different brands of luxury vinyl plank flooring in my home. All are very durable and I don’t think the wheels (as long as they are smooth) would scratch the flooring. The NuCore in my Studioffice has a texture and is very tough. I also have it in two bathrooms, a hallway and my laundry area. It never gets scratches…from anything. It is the most durable of all the luxury vinyl plank I have. In other rooms I have Tarkett and Select Surfaces. The only thing you may notice is after years of chair rolling back from a desk, impressions in the general area.

      2. Hi Diane,
        We installed a similar type of vinyl flooring at work and it looked horrible before we even finished putting it in. Not only were there white scratches everywhere, a dead giveaway that it was vinyl and not real wood, but it was a bit hard to clean as things would stick to it a little easier and you can’t scrub too hard for fear of further scratching the product. I’m not sure what brand was used, very likely not NuWave. I am curious about how the NuWave looks in your studio office now. I am fixing up an old house with a limited budget and many problems to fix but after this article am tempted to try this brand. I am a little anxious, but if NuWave really doesn’t scratch, I am in.

        1. Diane Henkler says:

          Hi Robyn –

          I think you meant to write NuCore not NuWave. Is this correct? I love the flooring and have not had any problems with it. We liked it so much we put in a powder room, hallway, and laundry area. We also used it over tile in an upstairs bath. It is so easy to clean and does not scratch at all. I love it! You are not the first person who wrote to me about not liking it or vinyl plank flooring. I am not sure if all NuCore is the same, but the stuff I got is wonderful! When I spill stuff on the floor in my studioffice, I simply wipe it up, vacuum, or use a Swiffer. I have even had paint splatters dry on the floor and I have removed them with a wet rag and even a Brillo pad with no damage. It is like it is self-healing.

          1. Diane,

            Thank you for your quick reply! I definitely meant to say NuCore! :-) The fact that you were able to get dried paint off is reassuring as that was one thing we couldn’t get off of our less-superior product. Using your installation tips, I’m going to give NuCORE a try!

            Thanks again and I look forward to using “In My Own Style” for future inspiration and guidance. I sure am glad I came across this post.

            Best,
            Robyn

          2. Diane Henkler says:

            Hi Robyn – Happy to be able to answer your questions and help inspire you. :-)

        2. Mark Allan says:

          I’m a retired flooring installer and salesman of vinyl plank flooring. more likely than not it is something sticking to their shoes carrying it in such as gravel usually a grass door mat will solve the problem

    3. Marcie Johnston says:

      We had 900 square feet of LVP installed in our former home. It is the best product ever. Looks like wood, doesn’t have the hollow sound of ortho type floors, easy with pets (1 Active dog & 3 cats). Also easy to clean. I purchased a Spin-Mop and 2 Extra mop heads from Amazon No special cleaners needed. Great for people with allergies

      PS, We sol our house in 8 days over asking price. Everyone who walked through loved it!

      1. Marcie Johnston says:

        I dislike spell check.

        Pergo like floors.

  17. Does NuCore vinyl scratch or dent if something heavy or sharp drops on it?

    1. Diane Henkler says:

      Hi Deb – No it does not scratch or dent like hardwood does. I love it and have added it to a hallway and powder room as well as in my studioffice. I am thinking of adding it to a bathroom in my house too since it is waterproof. :-) I am very happy with it.

      1. Marcie Johnston says:

        I dislike spell check.

        Pergo like floors

        We did our entire downstairs (kitchen, Dining, living, laundry, half-bath, Stairs (with a white riser), upper hallway Apand guest bathroom. Miss it. Wish i had it in my new house!

    2. The floor guys just left, having spent the day installing NuCore through my kitchen, living and dining rooms,
      hallway and sunroom. A burst refrigerator valve flooded those rooms and covered the existing laminate,
      which buckled first, then bubbled. A nightmare, to say little. I was advised by three professionals that
      NuCore was the way to go, and I’m ecstatic that I listened! It looks spectacular, and I won’t need CPR if
      anything ever leaks again! It’s far superior to the laminate, both in looks and durability (I’m told), and
      I wish it had been available four years ago when I first laid new flooring.

      1. Diane Henkler says:

        Hi Joan – Sorry to hear about your refrigerator problems, but I am so happy to hear that NuCore was so highly recommended. We are very happy with ours. Since putting it in my studioffice, we have added it to a powder room, hallway and laundry closet. Last week we placed it over tile in the upstairs bathroom. I could not be happier with it. I didn’t know much about it when I chose it, but I am glad I did. :-)

  18. RHONDA PAGE says:

    Floor looks marvelous! I am thinking about using NuCore is an entrance foyer but wit will butt up to real hardwood flooring. In one of your pictures it looks like you did the same thing. My transition from NuCore to hardwood will be front and center for people entering my home. How do you feel about those kinds of transitions? Thanks

    1. I have used a narrow strip of decorative tile to run between two different types of flooring that are meant to look the same. It works pretty well to deceive the eye into not noticing that they are different.

  19. I got 10.79ft length.whats the best length to start to minimize scrap

    1. Diane Henkler says:

      Hi Elinor –

      The size you start with depends on the length of the room. You would have to determine that and then do a calculation to come up with a length. What we did was lay the first piece and then just kept adding and cutting. We followed the directions on the box about making sure the seams were not in line with each other. We had some scrap, but not a lot.

  20. Louise Laprade says:

    I just love reading your stuff. Thinking on using this product in basement. Here in Canada it gets really cold in the winter. Basement floor is cement and not heated. We were thinking of using dry barrier and then adding this nucore product on the floor. I sure hope it makes the floor war, as our living room is down there. I don’t want these cold floors. Any suggestions?

    1. Diane Henkler says:

      Hi Louise – I love our NuCore floors. We have it in my studioffice, a hallway, powder room and most recently added it to the laundry area. Since it has the cork backing, it does feel warmer when walking on it bare feet. One thing that will warm it up your living room would be to place an area rug in the seating area.

    2. Louise – did you ever use it? I’m also in the North and want to replace wall-to-wall carpeting with it- not sure if it will be warm enough!!!

  21. We just did this in our KITCHEN, and the trick with the utility knife is to score it with the knife on the cork side then snap the piece.

  22. Thanks for sharing your experience with Nucore. I’m considering it for my new condo… Check with the manufacturer about the expansion gap at the walls – I’ve not seen any that suggest a 1″ gap, and most 1/4 round molding is 3/4″ wide. I think that they suggest something closer to 3/8 gap. I hope you enjoy your floor!
    Dan

    1. Diane Henkler says:

      Hi Dan – I think 1/2″ is what the NuCore instructions called for. If I wrote 1″, I will have to fix it. We love the floor and just installed more in our laundry room.

      1. Steven Foreman says:

        Nucore instructions call for a 1/4″ expansion gap.

        1. Diane Henkler says:

          Hi Steven – On the boxes that I have, it states 1/2″. I did this over a year ago. Perhaps they changed the directions since then.

  23. We installed the nucore espresso walnut a few months ago. Love the look but the short ends seem to popping up a bit. Have you had any issues with this? Or any suggestions on how to fix the problem?

  24. We had these same NuCore floors installed and are now buying rugs to help with decorating and the cavernous sound our house has now acquired without the carpet to muffle. I don’t want to put the rugs right on the floor b/c I’m scared their backing will hurt the LVP. Do you have rugs and have you used any type of rug pads? If not, what is the backing on your rugs and is it safe to put directly on the LVP? Our rugs seem to have some type of rubber backing and I’m not sure it would be ok.

    1. Steven Foreman says:

      Nucore instructions say to avoid rugs with rubber backing.

  25. Jennie Leyva says:

    I have a cloudy film on my Nu-core flooring that I love…the man at Floor & Decor said just use water on it, which I have been doing, but it’s developing this milky coating on the top of it…help….Jennie

    1. Diane Henkler says:

      Hi Jennie –

      So sorry to hear your floor is getting a milky finish on it. I am not sure what could be causing the white film on your floor. I would think maybe the residue from a cleaner or it could be you have very hard or soft water and it is reacting with the vinyl. I know very hard water can create calcium build up. You could try making a solution of white vinegar and water and test it out in a small area to see if it removes the milky coating.

      I use a Bona Mop on my floor and so far I have not had any problems.

      If the vinegar and water does not help, I would go back to Floor & Decor with photos and show them again and demand a fix.

  26. Is this flooring loud like many of the other laminate flooring options you see? We have laminate now and the constant click clack you get from it is annoying and obviously sounds very different from a regular wood floor.

    1. Diane Henkler says:

      Hi Kyle – The floor is silent, no sound or click-clacks. It could be the cork backing helps lessen any sounds from happening.

  27. Terry Sarrette says:

    Hi, Diane. I live in mass. And have a vacation home in RI. We are looking for a new floor in our sunroom. This flooring looks good, but I am wondering how it hold up in our cold winters. We close the vacation home down and it is not heated. Is this a problem for this type of flooring?? Thanks for your input.

    1. Diane Henkler says:

      Hi Terry – I have only had the floor for about 5 months now and not in a cold climate. It may hold up fine for your vacation home, but I don’t know the answer. I would email or call the company, NuCore or Floor and Decor who is the retailer that carries it. They will be able to give you the right answer.

    2. Hi Terry – what did you end up choosing for your flooring? I’m in a northern climate and also trying to decide on what to do with my cold floors instead of carpet! (yuck)

  28. Bonnie Lau says:

    Diane

    We are considering putting this in 3 rooms of our house. We had a small water issue and have since fixed it. Megan our daughter found this flooring and we became interested since it is waterproof. Did you put any moisture barrier down first? They indicate you don’t have too. Floor and decor indicated we might want to paint on a waterproof paint for concrete first but the installer does not recommend it. Does the floor hold up well? Any suggestions you can give would be welcomed. Your new house looks wonderful.
    Bonnie Lau
    Orlando, Fl

    1. Diane Henkler says:

      Hi Bonnie :-)

      We did not put down a moisture barrier since it has the cork backing. We were told it was not needed over the wood sub-flooring. It has only been a few months since we installed it. So far, I am loving it. It is easy to clean and vacuum up the messes I make. It does not show scratches from Kelly’s dog that we are watching for her for 2 months. Loving that!

      I like the texture that you can see in each plank, it makes it look like real wood. The only thing that you may not like is that it has more of a flat finish – no shine. If you like to see a shine on a wood look floor, you may not like it. It was easy to install. Around doorways we had to use an extra sharp utility knife to cut the shape needed. For the rest of the pieces that needed long cuts, we used a circular saw – much easier than using a knife to cut.

      I have a lot more of it that we plan to use in the powder room and hallway going to our garage.

      Hugs to Megan XO

  29. Congratulations on your new home! I think i’ll be taking tips from your husband, it looks great!

  30. Congratulations on your new home, Diane! I’m dying to take up carpet in my bedrooms and put down some kind of hard floor – we put a quick-lock laminate in our last home and I absolutely loved it. Will definitely have to look into the brand you used. Have fun decorating!

    1. Diane Henkler says:

      Hi Joi –

      We have only had the floor installed for not quite 2 months, but so far I love it. I have more and may lay it in a hallway that goes to the garage and laundry area. If only all DIY could be installed as easily as this floor was. :-)

  31. We are in the process of putting laminate in our whole house. It’s 1600 sq ft, the house my dad and uncles built and I grew up in. My grown son is pretty much doing it all, with help from my hubby and other son. It’s been a Hugh job, but we love it. Only one room left. We chose a product from home depot, Hampton Bay, with the lining attached also. I am glad I took my time picking it out and I researched it quite a bit. . We were going to go with hard wood, but didn’t want the cost of that. We were looking at Home Depot and a very sweet couple came in and were looking over this laminate obviously deciding on a color to purchase. They were very cute! I started to chat with them, and discovered they were tackling thier home room by room, had completed several already and starting another. They used this flooring in the kitchen and living room and loved it, held up with dogs and kids. Plus, a 50 year warrantee. I was sold after talking with them. I am so happy. Easy to clean and very tough so far.

  32. kathi in Wisconsin says:

    I had all my carpet taken up 2 yrs ago and had vinyl plank installed. Absolutely love it. I don’t remember the brand, but it was a piece of cake for the installers. It’s just me here and I’m too old to get down on my knees anymore, so had to have the pros do it! Yes, it’s pricier that way, but well worth it to me to have it done right! Mine is shades of gray with a little black, white and brown accents. Looks like hand scraped wood planks. Gives my house a farmhouse/beachy feel. Best of all, it doesn’t show dust ! I use a Swiffer duster and a Swiffer wet mop. I was advised by the installers not to use a wet jet on it, as sometimes wetness can get between the planks and cause a mess, to the point of replacing those planks, which can get costly, so I’m very careful about mopping it.

  33. Diane, your floor is gorgeous and unrecognizable as a laminate. You and Ed did a great job putting the floor down. I feel so sorry for you still dealing with those miserable shingles! I hope getting your studio together and I know it will be beautiful will be a source of great joy and relaxation for you. I’m waiting on pins and needles for the photos to follow! Take very good care of yourself, you are very important to us.

  34. Patty in AR says:

    Thanks so much for this post! I shopped vinyl floor planks in 2014. My husband is disabled and I am all thumbs so we will have to hire it done. My plans were to place it over unfinished wood flooring and damaged cork flooring. The flooring required adhesives and the estimate was $9000 for 800 square feet. $2500 was for Luan underpayment which they said was required or my flooring would show through. It was too expensive and I have not yet done anything. The cork backing and snap pieces on this flooring has me so excited! Do you think this type of floor would work over hardwood and cork?? And would my floors have to be level for this type flooring?

    1. Underlayment not payment!

  35. Diane, I think above all else of your projects you might spend time discovering a way to clone your husband he sounds a real gem, Love the floors I did similar in my swing room and sew beautiful to walk on and maintain :)

  36. I have been waiting for this post! It looks wonderful, and it seems like the perfect floor for your creative space. I do have a question, as I am about to install a similar product in my home. After taking up the carpet and tack strips, did you fill the holes left by the nails? TIA!

  37. Looks sooo good!! Can’t wait to see it with the white trim!

  38. It looks incredible!! Like real wood – beautiful product. And great job!

    1. Diane Henkler says:

      Thanks Krista – I have a lot of flooring left over and may use it elsewhere in the house. It will be even easier to do this now that we know what we are doing.

  39. Thanks, Diane, for the pictures and the good advice about taking time when contemplating a big home project. I, too, tend to jump in, but it is better to wait. Great job, Ed, on the flooring.

  40. Nice job Ed, the floors look beautiful! I’m sure Diane will enjoy them for years to come.

  41. Great post.
    Question: when you say the joints should be parallel to the light source, are you meaning the short joints between the pieces in a run (from one wall to another)? It looks like the length of the boards –and their joints—are perpendicular to the glass doors, (which i would call the light source) instead of parallel. The short joins look to be on the parallel. I hope my explanation of the question is understandable.
    I’ve been wanting to tear up my 40 year old wall to wall but the price of wood flooring is prohibitive for a house i want to sell. You give me hope the nucore will do for the living and dining room, at least. It looks like the girlfriends can do my math for me and get the floor installed. Going to look up the price and where to buy, Thanks for your help with my question. And for such a good tute.

    1. Diane Henkler says:

      Hi MJ – I totally get what you are asking. ;-) I am going to edit the post to make it clearer. Ed and I went back and forth to the words I used to describe the lengths, widths, etc. Since he did it, I went with his explanation, but I think he is looking at it wrong.

      Here is my way of saying what we did: You want the long sides of the planks (sides that snap together) to run in the same direction that the sun comes in. You do not want these joints going across the way the light comes into the room. The short ends of each plank will be parallel to the door/window where the sun comes into the room. If you look closely, you can see some of these short end joints, but you don’t see any of the long side snap together joints.

      I hope this clears things up.

      1. I get it now. Terminology is everything! LOL
        Guess my SO will be helping me do the DR floor to start.
        Appreciate your careful attention to my question. TKU.

    2. Diane Donofrio says:

      Hi MJ, hope I can help out regarding your question. I’m an interior designer, and love watching Diane’s projects she is so passionate in sharing with others. I love how her projects show real life problems, solved with creative thinking.
      I hope I can answer your question for you….
      The light source if you go back to the photo Diane provided, shows the sun coming into the room from glass doors to the opposite wall…how that source comes into the room, should be the same way the planks lay, direction wise…so she laid the planks where the lines of connection go from glass doors to the wall opposite, this is to ensure that the light will go along those lines, and not against it….
      I hope this helps!!

  42. I installed laminate in my Studio/Office as well and have been very pleased. I got mine at a clearance price so didn’t get to choose such a nice color, but it’s so easy to clean up after one of my creative urges!

  43. You have once again come to my assistance. My dining room is a wood floor but not finished. I was thinking of painting a rug on it but after seeing what you did I believe I will be researching a place to buy what you did. I like the “frame of 1/4 round you did. I am so happy for you and Ed again that you found your perfect place.

  44. I’m not an expert so pardon me if this is a silly question, but why wouldn’t you prime and paint the trim and the room before installing the floor to lessen the chance of spilling paint on to it?

    1. Diane Henkler says:

      Hi Alicia – No question is a silly question :-) My husband Ed had time to install the floor a day after we moved into the house. He does not paint, I do all the painting and was sick when we moved in and could not get the painting done before he installed the floor. I didn’t want to lose the window of opportunity to get this floor installed and knew I could paint the trim later. :-)

  45. Elaine in Baltimore says:

    This looks beautiful. Beautiful installation too.